Updated irregularly, with wildly varying degrees of enthusiasm and skill.

Monday, July 24, 2017

I’m not a sales guy, so I don’t know what it’s called, but I’ve noticed a popular marketing technique I think of as “Focus On The Problem”.

Basically, instead of describing their solution, the seller talks almost exclusively about whatever *problem* it is they’re offering a solution for. Their ability to exactly articulate your needs and your concerns seems to create a sense that “these guys know what they’re talking about”.

They repetitively dissect and describe the problem from all angles, and with each aspect they reiterate that they have the solution.

In between, they sprinkle testimonials from satisfied customers to increase the believability of the claim that their solution works.

They don’t have to offer specifics on the solution (ie, *how* their product addresses your problem or why you should believe them); they just affirm over and over that it does.

Basically, you get a positive “Yes, that’s exactly what it’s like” feeling as they describe the issue. This gives them credibility.They skip over the middle part: the “how”.They give you another good feeling when they talk about how amazing it would be to have the problem solved.The testimonials feel like 3rd-party confirmation.

They repeat this cycle numerous times throughout their ad/presentation.

Our brains oughta know that *how* they’re going to solve the problem is the critical part – but all of those positives surrounding the missing “how” – plus a strong desire on our part to believe – seem to be all we need for this technique to work.

The PUA community does often in selling programs for dudes who can’t get with women; Amway does this in selling their “plan” (if you ask pointed questions about numbers, they accuse you of having “detail-itis”); get-rich-quick investment schemes do it; male enhancement programs do it; below is a recent example, this time a self-defense program:

My point is that many religions, cults, and political movements also do this in selling their ideologies; if they can make you resonate with their description of your feelings/fears/challenges/issues well enough – and if they can offer personal testimonials along with a sense of purpose, meaning, drama, and tribal membership – then that’s all they need. Bonus points if they offer ego-strokes and a chance to behave badly in pursuit of virtue. Our minds don’t care if the details of the “how” are nonsense that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny – we’re both feet in yesterday.